An Australian woman accused of murder engaged in a calculated scheme to kill three elderly relatives of her estranged husband with a meal she allegedly spiked with toxic mushrooms, a court has been informed as closing statements in the trial commenced.
Erin Patterson faces charges for the murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, alongside the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, in July 2023.
The prosecution claims she foraged for deadly death cap mushrooms, dried them, and knowingly included them in individual servings of Beef Wellington at her home in Leongatha, a town of about 6,000 residents located approximately 135km from Melbourne.
Ms. Patterson refutes the charges, which could result in a life sentence, with her defense characterizing the deaths as a “tragic accident.”
Prosecution lawyer Nanette Rogers leaving court on 3 June
Ms. Patterson allegedly fabricated a cancer diagnosis to entice her guests to the lunch, then poisoned their meals while serving herself a safe portion, according to Ms. Rogers.
She purportedly lied about being ill from the food to evade suspicion, then initiated a cover-up when authorities began investigating the deaths, the prosecution contended.
“The malevolent ruse was to use a nourishing meal as the means to deliver the lethal poison,” Ms. Rogers asserted in court.
Ms. Patterson spent eight days on the witness stand after opting to testify in her defense, which included five days of cross-examination.
She was the sole witness for the defense following the prosecution’s month-long presentation of numerous witnesses, including estranged husband Simon Patterson and the only surviving guest, Ian Wilkinson.
The court will now hear closing arguments from the defense before the jury receives instructions from the presiding judge, Justice Christopher Beale, and withdraws to deliberate on a verdict.
The trial, now entering its eighth week and expected to conclude this month, is ongoing.
